Stitch transfer mechanism for knitting machines



H. MCADAMS 2,167,581

STITCH TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES July 25, 1939.

Original Filed Dec. 1, 1934 INVENTOR. M Ad am a Harv ATTORNEYS.

Patented July as, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STITCH TRANSFER MECI iANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Harry McAdams, Reading, Pa., assignor to The Nolde and Horst Company, Reading, Pa., a corm poration Original applications December 1, 1934, Serial No. 755,621, and September 19, 1936, Serial N0. 101,659. Divided and this application March 8, 1937, Serial No. 129,700

5 Claims.

provision of an improved bit or stitch lifting and a transfer member adapted to be used with a circular knitting machine for effecting the transfer of a stitch from one needle of the machine to another needle of the'machine.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying. drawing, forming a part of this'specification, and wherein similar refer-- Figure 2 is a view showing the elements desig'-,

nated in Figure l and also showing the relation of the parts to the upper portion of the cylinder of a rotary knitting machine and with the partsin a succeeding step during the transfer of a stitch, from the cylinder needle to the dial needle.

Figures 3 to '8 inclusive also show the parts designated in Figures 1 and 2 and respectively showing the progressive sequence which the parts assume to effect the transfer of the stitch from the cylinder needle to the dial needle.

Figure 9 is a modified form of the improved stitch transfer hit or member whereupon a plurality of them are mounted as a unit and adapted to simultaneously transfer a plurality of stitches.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown but a preferred embodiment of the invention, the letter C may generally designate a cylinder of the improved knitting machine. It is of the circular type and may be either rotary or stationary. It is vertically grooved as shown in Figure 2 forreceiving the cylinder needles ll. A dial (not shown) is provided whereon the dialneedles 11 are disposed and slidable in the usual manner for cooperative knitting of rib work in conjunction with the cylinder needles 14.

The bit implementsv P for lifting the stitches each include a shank I49 slidably mounted for vertical and lateral tilting thru suitable openings 210 and 2' in collars or supporting rings 212 and 213 which are fixed on the inside of the cylinder C. It is of course understood that the transfer members P are closely arranged around the inner peripheral wall of the cylinder as described in my above identified copending applications. w

A spring 214 is provided for each stitch transfer member P normally urging it at itsupper end against the cylinder needles. Normally the upper end of the transfer member P cooperates along the respective cylinder needles 14, .as described.

in my co-pending application Serial No. 755,621, except as hereinafter qualified, for the-purpose of lifting the stitch off of the cylinder needle in order that the dial needles may receive said stitch. The means for elevating and spreading stitches consists of a movable arc cam 280, shown in my parent applications.

The shank I40 of transfer implement P is transversely offset at 50' at a location above the normal top of the cylinder. This offset at its outer end is provided with a vertical stitch lifting head which moves away from the respective cylinder needle with which it cooperates in the direction of rotation of the cylinder, in order to spread the stitch and while the stitch is still hung partially on the cylinder needle. The stitch lifting head of the transfer implement P is laterally oifset at its upper end, at 299, as shown in Figure 8 of the drawing, to provide a dial needle entering groove 29l which lies in the plane of the body of the implement P. The cylinder needle vl4 lies normally in the vertical plane of the groove or opening 291, as shown in Figure 7, so that the flange forming the offset 290 lies alongside of and in contact with the side of the cylinder needle. This head end of the implement is provided with a stitch engaging shoulder 292 having a lip 293 extending thereabove and normally lying in the line of the needle and back of the needle for the purpose of entering the stitch so that as the implement P..is lifted the stitch will come to rest upon the shoulder 292 with the lip" The lower end of each implement P is provided with a foot 296 which rides normally spaced above the cam supporting ring 28l, but which is adapted to engage the cam 290 in order to lift the implement P for stitch entering and spreading purposes. This foot 296 is convergently beveled at its lower end and rides upwardly on the sloping end of the cam 280 and then along the cam and then down another sloping end. A spring 291 normally urges the foot 296 to its downmost position. A radial extension 298 is provided upon the implement P above the foot 296 adapted to engage a sloping cam face 299 of a cam 300 which is carried by the ring 213. Each implement P has one of the cams 300 and the purpose of it is to laterally tip the implement P away from the respective needle with which it cooperates in the direction of rotation of the cylinder in order to spread the stitch. This is accomplished by the radial extension 298 engaging the sloping shoulder 298, causing the implement P to fulcrum in the opening 2' of the supporting ring 213 and tilting it in the direction shown in Figure 3 for spreading the stitch as shown in Figure 8 so that the proper dial needle I1 may enter the stitch.

The sequence of steps in transferring a stitch of the fabric knitted from a cylinder needle 14 to a dial needle 11 is shown in Figures 1 to 8 of the drawing. The normal position is shown in Figure 1 and the implement P is shown elevating into the stitch loop in Figure 2. In Figure 3 the implement P has spread the stitch due to the fact that the extension 298 has contacted the cam 300. In the next step, as shown in Figure 4, the dial needle 11 has entered the stitch. The cylinder needle H is then retracted. as shown in Figure 5, and then the transfer implement P is retracted as shown in Figure 6. The front elevation of the cylinder needle and the respective transfer implement P in the operation of entering and spreading thefstitch are shown' in Figures '7 and 8.

It should be noted from Figures 3 and 4 of the drawing that the stitch loop of the fabric which is to be transferred from the cylinder needle 14 to the dial needle 11 is hung on the upper end of the cylinder needle with the latch closed and ready to shift the stitch at a time that the bit end of the implement P is spreading the stitch in order to facilitate entry of the dial needle 11.

In the modified form of stitch transfer member P shown in Figure 9 a pair of transfer bits I48} are mounted upon the same shank I40. These shanks of course have needle cooperating heads adapted to operate upon a pair of needles of the cylinder for simultaneous lifting of the stitches therefrom into transfer position with'respect to.

cooperating dial needles. It is a characteristic of both forms of implements P and P that their upper ends are offset over the top of the cylinder C to bring the needle cooperating heads into sliding relation with the backs of the needles.

In the form of bit I48 shown in Figure 9, the head is somewhat different than the head of the implement P. In the latter implement the bit moves laterally away from the cylinder needle while the cylinder needle is still confronting the head of the implement P. The bits I48 have the heads thereof provided with spaced lips 292 which define needle receiving sockets I52. Because of this construction it is necessary for the heads of the implements P' to be positioned above the respective cylinder needles with which they cooperate in order that they may move laterally for stitch transfer to the dial needles. This fea-, ture of course may be made applicable to a single shank of a transfer implement. Offsets are provided similar to those shown at for the preferred form of transfer member P.

Various changes in .the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture stitch transferring means comprising a shank having a plurality of stitch transfer heads mounted thereon adapted to simultaneously cooperate with a pinrality of needles in transferring a plurality of stitches therefrom to other needles.

2. As an article of manufacture a stitch transfer implement for knitting machine needles comprising an elongated shank having the upper end provided with a transverse offset, the free end of said offset having a stitch entering and transfer head thereon provided with a side flange for contacting the needle whose stitch it is intended to transfer.

3. As an article of manufacture a stitch transfer implement for knitting machine needles comprising an elongated shank having the upper end thereof transversely offset, the free end of said offset portion having a stitch entering and transfer head thereon provided with a side flange for contacting the needle whose stitch it is intended to transfer, said flange being. provided only at one side of the head so as to permit lateral moving of the transfer member sldewise from the needle.

4. As an article of manufacture a stitch transfer implement for knitting machines comprising an elongated shank having the upper end thereof transversely offset, the free end of said offset portion having a stitch entering and transfer head thereon provided with lips defining a needle receiving socket, said lips being adapted to lie at each side of the needle to prevent lateral movement of the transfer implement until it has elevated the stitch above the needle whose stitch it is transferring.

5. A stitch transfer member for transferring the stitch from one needle to another comprising an elongated body portion having a right angled'oflset at the upper end thereof, said right angled offset at its outer end and spaced ifrom the elongated body portion having a stitch lifting head thereon normal to the offset portion, said stitch lifting head being provided with lip means to guide the transfer member in relation to a stitch hung on a needle, said lip means having a stitch lifting shoulder thereon lying inwardly from the tip and of the head.

HARRY M CADAMS. 

